1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ground cover sheets, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved ground cover sheet provided with upwardly extending bows to retain bark dust and bark chips in position. The conventional material utilized in landscaping is a polyvinyl plastic sheet material. This material is colored black and is spread on the surface of the ground to prevent weeds and grass from growing. It is then covered by brown colored bark dust and bark chips. This provides an attractive arrangement for a short period of time. Soon, however, rain and wind shift the brown bark dust, exposing patches of the shiny black polyvinyl material. This erosion occurs rapidly on sloped ground, although displacement of the bark dust due to humans and animals walking on the material on flat ground is also a problem. In order to overcome these difficulties, the present invention provides a ground cover sheet of a brown color provided with upwardly extending bows spaced in rows along the length of the sheet to retain bark dust and bark chips in position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of ground cover sheets are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a ground cover sheet is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 921,484, which issued to A. Turner on May 11, 1909. This patent discloses a ground cover sheet for use as a mulch material around strawberry plants. The ground cover sheet may be formed as an elongated sheet provided with spaced apertures for the reception of strawberry plants. A plurality of smaller apertures allow water to pass through the sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 1,584,589, which issued to C. Adams on May 11, 1926, discloses a ground cover sheet for use in protecting strawberry plants. A corrugated cover sheet is attached to a base sheet. The sheet is provided with a central slit for reception around a strawberry plant. Apertures are provided in the corrugations of the cover sheet in order to trap insects between the cover and base sheets. U.S. Pat. No. 1,721,228, which issued to G. Marden on July 16, 1929, discloses a mulch sheet having a central aperture for reception of a plant or tree stem. The device consists of a mat formed from a straw material held together by spaced rows of stitches. U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,698, which issued to R. Downey et al on Aug. 20, 1960, discloses a mulch pad for use around trees. The pad comprises a square pad of fibrous material provided with a central aperture for the reception of the trunk of a tree. The aperture is connected by a slit to a side edge of the pad to allow insertion of the tree trunk. U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,347, which issued to R. Barnes on Apr. 17, 1973, discloses an artificial grass like ground cover sheet for reception around a tree. The device is formed as a circular mat provided with a central aperture connected by a slit to a side edge for allowing insertion of a tree trunk. Once in place around a tree trunk, a staple like spike is utilized to secure the edges of the mat together.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices provides a ground cover sheet provided with rows of slits forming upwardly convex bows for retaining bark dust and bark chips in place. Further, none of the aforesaid devices is constructed from an inexpensive polyvinyl material. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of ground cover sheets, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such ground cover sheets, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.